This newsletter is normally emailed weekly, to inform you of local entertainment, events, clubs, community organisations, support, and volunteering opportunities.

There is an ongoing Westmorland and Furness Council formal investigation into recent flooding in the Ulverston area. If your property has been flooded in the last few months and you haven't yet been contacted by the W&F Flood Investigations team, please contact Jason Harte via the email address below. Please attach photos and any supporting information that you have.

Jason will be available at the Ulverston Indoor Market from 10am to 1pm on Friday 1st December to discuss the flooding that occurred in Ulverston on 10th September 2023. Please just come along to meet him, no appointments necessary.

W&F Flood Team Email: LLFA@Westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk

The flood hub website Flood Recovery Toolkit | The Flood Hub, in particular the Flood Recovery Booklet, offers some immediate guidance on what to do following flooding at your home.

Please be aware that many of the town centre roads are closed to traffic for the weekend (9am to 5pm Saturday and Sunday) due to the Dickensian Festival, and will not be available for parking. There may be disruption outside those times due to festival setup and dismantling activities. Streets affected by closures are Market Street, Theatre Street, Benson Street, Cross Street, New Market Street, Union Street, and Brogden Street. King Street will remain open to through traffic, but please avoid parking there as there will be market stalls along the full length of the street.

All of the town centre car parks will be open as normal, except for Theatre Street car park, which is being used for the food court. Theatre Street car park will be closed from 6pm on Friday until 8pm on Sunday. There are limited disabled parking spaces and electric car charging spaces in the car parks. Temporary visitor parking will be available at Ulverston Auction Mart, and additional car parking at Sandside Lodge School in Springfield Road, or on the grass at Ford Park (after Park Run finishes at 10am on Saturday).

The festival will take place in the last weekend of November as usual, complete with market stalls, mulled wine, food stalls, free entertainment, funfair, and costume parades. There will also be indoor activities at the auction room, formerly the Theatre Royal, in Theatre Street.

Official festival entertainment will take place between 10am and 5pm on both days. Of course, Ulverston shops, restaurants and bars will continue to operate during and outside of those hours, and some will be providing their own Dickensian-style entertainment, so expect a lively evening around town on Saturday.

Saturday 25th Market Place

10:00am Ulverston Town Band
11:00am Blast Furness
12:00pm Ulverston Town Band
1:00pm Hope and Anchor Choir
1.45pm Deat Beats
2.30pm Dalton Town Band
3.15pm The Great Mandavi
3.45pm Ulverston Victoria High School Swing Band

4:00pm Christmas lights switch on

Saturday 25th Theatre Street

10.30am UVHS Drama Group
10.45am The Great Mandavi
11.30am  St Andrews Pipe Band
12:00pm Danielle de la Wonk
12.30pm Blast Furness
1.30pm “Uke can do it” with Alfie Bridgens
2.30pm Tin Type Tricycle
3.20/3.30pm Grand Costume Parade arrives followed by Costume judging
4.15pm Deat Beats

Saturday 25th Lloyds TSB Corner

10.30am Diana Denney
11.15am Daryl J Carrington
12:00pm St Andrews Pipe Band
12.30pm Diana Denney
1.15pm Darryl J Carrington
2.15pm Danielle de la Wonk
3:00/3.15pm Costume Parade passes
3.30pm Inner State

Saturday 25th Theatre Royal

“Uke can do it”. Ukulele workshop with Alfie Bridgens  at 10.30am
Circus skills workshop 11.30am and 1.30pm
Get your photo taken with Queen Victoria and John Brown in the Dickensian photo booth

Sunday 26th Market Place

10.30am U3A Ukulele troupe Furness
11.30am The Great Mandavi
12.30pm Just In Time Dance Band
1.45pm Dalton Town Band
2.45pm Tin Type Tricycle
4.00pm Holborn Hillbillies accompanied by fire performers

Sunday 26th Theatre Street

10.30am Daryl J Carrington
11.30am Tin Type Tricycle
12.30pm Mary’s Catholic School Choir
1.30pm Songsmiths
2.30pm The Great Mandavi
3.20/3:30pm Grand Costume Parade arrives followed by costume judging
4.00pm Community carol singing led by Ulverston Town Band

Sunday 26th Lloyds TSB Corner

10.30am Diana Denney
11.15am Danielle de la Wonk
12.00pm Hope and Anchor Choir
12.45pm Darryl J Carrington
1.45pm Diana Denney
2.30pm Inner State
3.00/3.15pm Costume Parade passes
3.30pm Songsmiths

Sunday 26th Theatre Royal

Circus skills workshop at 11am and 1pm.
“Uke can do it”. Ukulele workshops with Alfie Bridgens at 12pm and 2pm.
Get your photo taken with Queen Victoria and John Brown in our Dickensian photo booth.

Street Performers

Strolling players over the weekend include Gary Gifford The Bread and Butter Theatre Company, Astral Circus, Inner State, Alastair Fleming & Florence Scott, Andy Jester, Danielle De la Wonk, The Great Mandavi, The Rhubarbs, Human Organs, Darryl J Carrington, UVHS Drama Group, and members of Ulverston Amateur Operatic Society.

Festive crafts, dressing up, christmas carols, nativity trail. Please book in advance via email if possible. Walk-ins welcome.

Website: Movie listings and bookings

Christmas at The Roxy starts with two classic family films on the Dickensian Festival weekend; Muppets Christmas Carol, and Great Expectations. Throughout December there are family films and special treats, including live "on-stage" performances by Patsy Gillam and T-Rex. As ever, you can celebrate Christmas Eve at the Roxy with It's a Wonderful Life, accompanied by mince pies.

Coffee morning & soup lunch. Stalls, tombola, etc. Entry £1. Soup £2.50 extra.

Facebook: Tractor Run

Come along and see a host of Festive Tractors tour our local Furness and District area, all raising money for St Mary’s Hospice. 💙🚜🚜🚜🚜🚜

Our drivers can’t wait to see you…

FREE by optional cash donation to Ulverston Food Project on the day. Sustainable exhibitors and local stalls. Hot and cold drinks available at the bar.

For the last 'Flourishing Futures' event of the year, Mycelium Thinking CIC is working with People Planet Pocket CIC to bring you a creative Eco-Christmas Fayre. Have a very merry season whilst shopping ethically, reducing household waste, and saving costs too!

ECO-FRIENDLY DROP-IN ACTIVITIES
Pay What You Feel creative activities using local surplus to make simple sustainable gifts and festive deco.

REDUCE HOUSEHOLD WASTE
Let's move towards a zero waste Christmas. Ideas for growing mushrooms on household and local waste. Composting options - even if you only have a 'yarden'.

MUSIC
Alternative Christmas playlist compiled by Dave Crossley (Another Fine Fest). Also - get involved in a festive Tuneless Choir style singalong! Slots throughout the day for communal carols and lip sync performances - get in touch to sign up or make any requests.

SURPLUS SHOP
Festive gifts and activities with People Planet Pocket CIC. Pay As You Feel surplus stock.

FANCY DRESS ENCOURAGED
Our team will be dressed-up in ridiculous festive gear. Join us if you like & bring any instruments you'd like to play during the sing-a-long slots.

Facebook Group: Ulverston Pride

Ulverston Pride Community Group is the newest part of the Community Solutions family,
As we have successfully done with existing groups we aim to provide an online community and weekly get togethers.

Our group will be a place for members of the pride community to form a presence with plans to bring a Pride Festival to Ulverston. This community will provide support from peers including mental health first aid for those who need it. Ours will be a safe place for finding partnerships, companionship and advice.

As of Thursday 14th December 6:30pm to 8:30pm, we will hold weekly get togethers at Ulverston Food Project Community Hub. Big thank you to Linden Grieve and her team. Brews and biccies will be provided. Under 18s welcome with a guardian.

It's almost that festive time of year again. Santa will be coming to Ford Park to meet with the children in our walled garden!

The event at Ford Park will be managed by the Ford Park team this year in order to raise revenues for the charity that runs the park.

The Walled Garden will be lit up with lights for a wonderful experience in a truly beautiful setting.

Children can explore the garden and sit in Santa's Sleigh before heading into the Elves' Workshop to make their very own tree decorations and write out their Christmas wish list to give to Santa.

After the Elves' Workshop, children will be invited to meet with Santa himself in his Grotto where they can give him their wish lists and receive a gift directly from Santa which will include a reindeer trail in the Ford Park woodland where Santa will ask for help finding his reindeer.